About Us
Roanoke Review was co-founded in 1967 by Roanoke College student Edward A. Tedeschi and teacher Henry Taylor, who went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in poetry for The Flying Change in 1986. Poet James Boatwright and novelist George Garrett served as advisory editors, and the first issue included work by William Stafford, Lee Smith, Kelly Cherry, William Jay Smith, and Malcom Cowley, among others.
Tedeschi and Taylor were ultimately replaced by Robert Walter, who edited the journal for the next thirty years. The Review was taken over in 2001 by Paul Hanstedt, who served as editor for the next fifteen years with the occasional interim leadership of Melanie Almeder and Mary Crockett Hill, who took on the role of editor in 2016.
In its half-century of existence, Roanoke Review has established itself as an accessible read, intent on publishing down-to-earth writers with a sense of place, a sense of language, and—perhaps most importantly—a sense of humor. The Review is also known for its fine cover art, which features some of the best artists of southwestern Virginia. Having shifted to an entirely digital format in 2015, the Review continues this tradition with a new on-line gallery.
2019-2020 STAFF
EDITOR
Mary Crockett Hill is the author of A Theory of Everything (selected by Naomi Shihab Nye for the Autumn House Prize) and If You Return Home with Food (winner of the Bluestem Poetry Award), and coauthor of the history of A Town by the Name of Salem. Her work has been featured on such sites as Poetry Daily and Best of the Net, and in such anthologies as American Poetry: The Next Generation. She is a multiple nominee for the Pushcart Prize and the Virginia Book of the Year. In her other life as a children's book writer, she is author of How She Died, How I Lived, from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and coauthor of the young adult novel Dream Boy. She tweets nonsense @Marylovesbooks.
Co-Managing Editor
Jenna Novosel is a senior at Roanoke College majoring in literary studies and minoring in creative writing. She is heavily involved on campus, taking part in campus ministry and theater. Jenna also works as a tutor in the Writing Center and in Fintel Library. When she's not studying or working, Jenna likes to watch classic Hollywood movies with friends, read, paint, and scour the internet for memes.
Co-Managing Editor
Kim Dalton is a creative writing and literature double major, with a concentration in gender and women’s studies. She has been involved with the theater department as well, acting in several plays on campus. Along with writing and acting, Kim illustrates and works with ceramics. Fun fact: Kim is currently working on a writing novel for her Honors Distinction Project.
Content EDitor
Kayla Coursey is a senior sociology major and creative writing minor. Her family now lives in Charlottesville, but are originally from Vermont. This is her second year with the Roanoke Review. She is involved in the theatre department, both on and off stage, and is the editor for the school's printed student literary magazine, On Concept’s Edge. She's excited to see what comes into the Review this year!
Social Media Intern
Emma Daisey is a senior literary studies major and an art history minor at Roanoke College. She is from Chincoteague Island off just off the Eastern Shore of Virginia. One of her passions is stage managing, as she has head stage managed multiple shows for Theatre Roanoke College. She loves Saturday Night Live, coffee, Old Bay Seasoning, and dogs, especially her Cardigan Welsh Corgi Mr. Bates.
Anthology Assistant
Olivia Samimy is a junior at Roanoke College from Fredericksburg, Virginia. She's a literary studies major and a communications minor. In her free time she enjoys reading, baking muffins, and attempting strange DIY crafts she found on Pinterest. She's the devoted owner of a chihuahua, and is always ready to argue that chihuahuas are the ideal dog breed.
Book Reviewer
Cameron MacKenzie's work has appeared in Able Muse, The Rumpus, SubStance and The Michigan Quarterly Review, among other journals. His essays have been collected in The Waste Land at 90: A Retrospective and Edward P. Jones: New Essays. His novel The Beginning of His Excellent and Eventful Career is currently out with Madhat Press. He teaches English at Ferrum College.
READing staff
Ji’Asia Anderson, Shannon Barker, Emily Degn, Robby Mangum, Claire McDonald, Kerensa McElrath, Jasmine Ring, Charissa Roberson, Jasey Roberts, Brittany Rowe, Liv Sampogna, Thomas Thomas, Cara Totten, Megan Worley, Chamberlain Zulauf
